Feeler gauge



Oct 28, 1930: J. E; HASTINGS 1,779,812

FEELER GAUGE v Filed April GQ 1925 Patented' oa. 2s, 1930 JAMES E. HAsTINesoF Arnon, zinns'slaingririsrrrfis Fnrjnnn GAUGE j K y l y Application mea Afin e, j y This invention relates to thickness or feeler gauge holders. It deals more particularly with a holder which is capable of handling a single strip of -feeler gauge stock at a time .5 but is adapted to receive such strips of any thicknesses for which there.` islikely-to'be demand under the usual conditions where such feeler gauges are'used., Such stock usually runs from .0015 up to y.095 of an inch i which is a wide range when theminuteness of variation is considered and the required delicacy of the clamping pressure borne in mind. Such a holderiasl disclose in Ytheipresent Y invention is of particular value to an automo- .15 bile mechanic who is ycalled 'upon to work on different kinds ofcars,.many of which require diiferent thicknesses of feeler gauge for clearance adjustment. It has been common practice forA automobile manufacturers, f servj -020 ice stations or machine-'shops'to buyrstock strips of length of the particular gauge stocks needed inthe work and cut short lengths for Y issue to the mechanic. Suchjstrips are very dificult tov hold and sometimes seriously cut 25 the mechanics hands.U Furthermore such stock-is .liable to bebent vor mutilated. To

overcomezthese difficulties, I have ydevised.

my present invention. f 'i Another difficulty with earlier holders has Y l been that the holder was not capable ofreceiving strips of stock of more than onel standard thickness. This meant .that,. if a Y mechanic in his Work had need for more than one-:size feeler gauge, it was necessary for him to possess a handle which would receive is necessary, and the varying sizes of stockv AVmay be readily inserted or removed from this handle as itis desired to use one or the other.

The strips of stock themselves are sothin that a full supply ofall necessary sizes can very easilybe carried ina smallcase which v alsok receives the handle and 'one forrnof which I have illustrated in the drawing.

vThroughoutthe.specification and drawings like reference characters are used lto desig-A nate corresponding parts.

59 Y In the'drawings zi the holderfas desired. 1

1928. seriariv'faesnaef' ig l is' a topplanrview ofra holder i thickness gaugestock in accordance with'my invention'and illustrating findotted lines the v y projection of thethicknessigaugesto'ck from j `Fig. 2vis`ai longitudinal section :through the device shown in Fig. .w f a 'f Fig; 3 is aj'cross section on-the lineS-S' of Fig- 11; L QI Pilt'. I l Y Fig. 4 is anenlargfed sectionalview through thel receiving 1end of the devi'cegand 'if iff f containerwithin which my. holder' and-fa plurality of strips of different sizes of thickness gaugeastock maysbe packed forconvenience of assemblyand use.

"fwFig-J `'s a'fviewshowing'a proper Y My 'holder consists of val generally rectangu.-

larishapedcase closed.- atoneend andopen at Lits- :opposite end" andi-presentingxspaced top l and bottom walls j and' connecting side walls. tThis l'holder may be made ofany .Vdesired 4'material Vland l inthe illustrated form shown inthel drawings the' top wall thereof is preferably: made las Y' a deformable .tongue which: acts' asthe clampingl member. This deformable top wall is adapted to be pressed downfuponithe insertedstri'p of feeler gauge stockso as releasably. to, holdsaid-stock in any yposition of.' adjustment therein. 'This topy wall; iszprovided lnear its 1openend and under the operating camzwith a bender wave whereby` accommodation `is provided? forthe varying'fthicknesses yof `stock 'which'may be botto'mfwalls. i 11; Y .j i

. `Ifhave indicated at Hthe holdergenerallyy andvatS the stock. The deformable top wall abovefreferred to .isiindicated by ythe numeral lft'he :bend being'identified byv thenuineralf la;

The releasable stock .clamping meansl con'- sists of.. a-.camlever 14l which. is pivoted Vat 5 in ea'rsf 6 extending upwardly. from the-"opposite'sideiwalls of the case. vThe cam lever is designed to occupyla positionl over the bend or hump la in the deformable topiwall-lofV the case, and itsfreeend 'ispreferably turned upwardly sufficienti to permit the mechanic to engage it with his lthumb-nailf'a'nd raise the lever. 1 In the vform "shown theraising of'-l the leverlfrom engagementwith .the top' wallof inserted inthe holder" between .the top and ent arched terminal lip deformable under pressure resliently to clamp said strip, and a releasable strip clamp mounted on said casing opposite said arched portion for deforming said lip into frictional clamping engagement with the strip.

4. In a feeler gauge, the combination with a handle member and hand protectivecasing7 of a strip of feeler gauge stock disposed Within said casing and adaptedito be Withdrawn progressively therefrom and cut ofi" at its eX- posed end When mutilated, said casing comprising a Walled enclosure including spaced top and bottom Walls dening astrip receivy ing chamber closed at one end and open at its opposite end and Within which the strip of stock is endwise insertible to the full depth of said chamber With one end of said strip eX- posed beyond the adjacent end of the casing as a flexible gauging portion Which's adapted to be cut oif Ywhen mutilated but Which before being cut 0E `constitutes anger grasping portion by means of Which the strip may be grasped and progressively Withdrawn from` the casing a distance sufficient to presentan unmutilated length ofstrip as av newly eX-l posed gauging end, one Wall of said enclosure having an arched terminal lip deformable under pressure resilient'ly to engage and hold the strip clamp mounted onsaid casing for de` Y forming said lip into frictional clamping engagement With the strip.

l 5. A holder for a strip of feelervgauge stock adapted successively to be cutoff at its eX- posed end When mutilated, comprising a combination handle member and protective casing 'consisting of a Walled enclosure including spaced top and bottom Wallsdening a stock receiving chamber closed at one end and open at its opposite end and Within which the strip of stock is endWise insertible to the full depth of said chamber With one end of said strip eX- posed beyond the adjacent end of the casing as a ieXible gaugingportion which is adapted to be cut off When mutilated but which before being cut off constitutes a finger grasping-p0rtion by means of Whichthe strip may be grasped and progressively Withdrawn from the casing a distance suficient to present an unmutilated length of strip as a newly exposed gauging end, one Wall of said enclosure having an arched terminal lip deformable under pressure resiliently to engage and hold the stock Within said casing, and a releasable clamp on said casing opposite said'arched portion of said deformable lip for forcing said Wall into clamping engagement With the strip of stock to hold the adjustment thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES E. HASTINGS. 

